I don’t think us irreverent types really understood how necessary the thin veneer of decorum & civility of our leaders was until Trumps election. I’ve always been very scathing of the insincere, optics hungry, tastefully curated emoting of politicians.

But seeing leadership without even a nod to the dignity of the role is like walking in on your parents doing the horizontal dance and not being able to not see that again because they decide since you know now they won’t bother keeping it discreet.

I don’t have much faith in comforting words a leader makes at the onset of their leadership, nor as they attend to the daily challenges of their term. But quite frankly, the complete abandonment of magnanimity & grace is far worse than the ubiquitous disingenuous lip service.

The whole system falls down if our leaders don’t act like leaders. Even if they are largely ineffectual, or gods forbid an incompetent or destructive operator, the intent to provide a unifying force, once abandoned is a dire indication of a lack of respect for the role’s sanctity

Appearances matter. Efficacy matters too of course. But I think we all have a clearer understanding how important dignity in leadership is. It’s a contractual agreement the role shld always be anchored in the pursuit of the greater good & not be reduced to a personal platform.